1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to firearms, and more particularly, to a stabilizer especially adapted for stabilizing a long gun.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices for stabilizing firearms as they are being shot are well known in the art. Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to firearm stabilization, and the following U.S. Pat. Nos. are representative of some of those innovations: 4,057,924; 4,162,586; 4,864,761; and 5,048,215.
More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,924 discloses a rifle barrel stabilizer that is located between the rifle barrel and the forearm of the stock. A stabilization block is adjusted by an adjustment screw. This device is designed to adjust the force between the rifle barrel and the forearm of the stock.
There is another type of stabilization that is often important in the use of long gun. When a long gun is lifted up and aimed, it is important for accurate shooting that the entire long gun be rendered stable in the hands of the shooter. Only in this way can the shooter maintain a steady aim. The type of stabilization provided by U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,924 will not help the shooter to maintain a steady aim. In this respect, it would be desirable if a long gun stabilizer were provided which enables a shooter to maintain a steady aim.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,586 discloses a gun with a cushioned grip safety. This device helps stabilize the hand of the shooter which pulls the trigger of the gun. However, with a long gun, both the hand that pulls the trigger and the hand that holds the stock are important in stabilizing the long gun. This device provides nothing for stabilizing the hand that holds the stock of the long gun. In this respect, it would be desirable if a long gun stabilizer were provided that serves to stabilize the hand of the shooter that holds the stock of the gun.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,761 discloses a device designed to dampen vibrations in a rifle after the rifle is shot. The device is secured to the forearm of the rifle with a pressure screw. This device does not appear to be grasped or contacted by the hand of the shooter that holds the stock of the rifle when the rifle is shot. In this respect, this device does not aid in stabilizing the rifle stock when the rifle is aimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,215 discloses a firearm that includes two handles with two respective hand grips. The first hand grip is grasped by the hand that pulls the trigger. The second hand grip is grasped by the hand which supports the stock of the firearm. The second hand grip can very well be used to stabilize the stock when the firearm is aimed. However, many long guns do not have stocks equipped with hand grips. In fact, many stocks are smooth and straight or slightly curved in contour. In this respect, it would be desirable if a long gun stabilizer were provided that is readily usable with a stock that has a straight or slightly curved contour.
When a shooter raises a long gun for shooting, the weight of the gun is distributed between the shooter's shoulder and the shooter's hand that holds the stock of the gun. When the shooter grasps the stock of the long gun in one hand, it is generally the fingers and the palm of the hand which support a large portion of the weight of the gun. In fact, the palm of the hand supports most of that weight, and the fingers serve to maintain the vertical orientation of the stock. The palm has a relatively small surface area, and supporting the weight on the palm in effect concentrates much of the weight on a relatively small surface area. In this respect, it would be desirable if a long gun stabilizer were provided that employed more surface area than the palm of a hand for stabilizing the stock of the gun.
As mentioned above, the fingers of the hand that holds the stock of the long gun often stabilize the stock from tilting. It would be desirable, however, if more than the fingers could be used to stabilize the stock against tilting.
There are certain additional characteristics that would be desirable in a device for stabilizing a long gun. For example, it would be desirable if the stabilizer were simple in construction and operation. It would also be desirable if a long gun stabilizer improved stability with respect to both the weight distribution and the tilt of the long gun.
Although there are times when a person may desire to use a stabilizer for shooting a long gun, there may be other times that the person may not want to use such a stabilizer. In this respect, it would be desirable if a long gun stabilizer were provided that is easily removable and installable in a stock of a long gun.
The stock of a long gun is generally made of rigid material such as wood. It may be uncomfortable after a while for a person to continuously grasp such a hard stock. In this respect, it would be desirable if a long gun stabilizer were provided that had soft, resilient operating characteristics so as to provide comfort and relief from the rigidity of the hard stock.
There may be times when a shooter would desire options as to whether or not a rigid or resilient long gun stabilizer were desired to be used. In this respect, it would be desirable if a long gun stabilizer were provided that gave a user an option as to whether a relatively rigid or resilient stabilizer were employed.
When an option exists for selecting either a rigid or resilient stabilizer, it would be desirable if exercise of either option could be easily made without a complicated conversion process. In this respect, it would be desirable if a long gun stabilizer were provided that permitted simple conversion from one selected option to another.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use stabilizers for long guns, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a long gun stabilizer which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) enables a shooter to maintain a steady aim; (2) serves to stabilize the hand of the shooter that holds the stock of the gun; (3) is readily usable with a stock that has a straight or slightly curved contour; (4) employs more surface area than the palm of a hand for stabilizing the stock of the gun; (5) uses more than the fingers to stabilize the stock against tilting; (6) provides a stabilizer that is simple in construction and operation; (7) improves stability with respect to both the weight distribution and the tilt of the long gun; (8) is easily removable and installable in a stock of a long gun; (9) has soft, resilient operating characteristics so as to provide comfort and relief from the rigidity of the hard stock; (10) gives a user an option as to whether a relatively rigid or resilient stabilizer is employed; and (11) permits simple conversion from one selected option to another. The foregoing desired characteristics are provides by the unique long gun stabilizer of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.